Discussing practice plan with HC

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Dec 5, 2017
514
63
I am an assistant on my dd's 8u travel team. I was actually supposed to take over as HC this fall but my dd and I decided to go to another organization. The other deal fell through, not enough girls to fill a roster, and we returned along with 2 great girls from the other org. The guy that took over is a great guy but is the definition of a daddy ball coach. Most practices consist of girls standing around while others take bp. His daughter always hits first, last and somewhere in the middle as well as hitting for much longer than other girls. His dd doesn't belong on the team but is by default basically. His dd along with about half of the team don't have a lot of basic,fundamental skills down yet. I'm trying to figure out while we are on winter break how to approach him about our practice's without stepping on his toes or accusing him of not knowing what he's doing. As the guy that left and came back I am reluctant to try and tell him what he's doing wrong but he wanted us back and we brought better players with us. These girls dad's have approached me about the daddy ball stuff and will leave in a heartbeat if it doesn't change. We invest too much time and our girls work too hard on their own time to waste valuable field time like this. Any thoughts? Ideas? Leaving again is always an option but not a great one at this time. It definitely is not benefiting some of these girl to continue in this direction, it's probably detrimental or at least holding them back.
 
Oct 5, 2017
214
43
Western Indiana
Maybe not make it look like you are questioning his "plan" but adding to it. Suggest that while he handles bp you take some of the girls into the outfield and work on other skills. Let him know that you think that this would maximize practice time. You could even work on hitting mechanics on the side if he is not doing it well enough.

The other option is if all the parents are not happy then maybe they should address the coaching issue as concerned parents. If they are paying for practice time and are not happy as a group maybe the organization needs to address it.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Bored or standing around 8 years old is a safety Issue, they are going to start doing stupid things and hurting each other. :)
 
Dec 5, 2017
514
63
Maybe not make it look like you are questioning his "plan" but adding to it. Suggest that while he handles bp you take some of the girls into the outfield and work on other skills. Let him know that you think that this would maximize practice time. You could even work on hitting mechanics on the side if he is not doing it well enough.

The other option is if all the parents are not happy then maybe they should address the coaching issue as concerned parents. If they are paying for practice time and are not happy as a group maybe the organization needs to address it.

Basically tried everything you suggest. He seemed irritated when I tried to work with the girls swings, like I was holding up practice. It's really only the 2 new girls parents and me that have issues. Well, a couple of others do but would never state it openly. The problem is he took a bunch of girls, including his, who's parents only care about being on a tb team. They are just happy that they are on the team.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
The problem is he took a bunch of girls, including his, who's parents only care about being on a tb team. They are just happy that they are on the team.

But you knew this before you came back from your failed attempt to join another team. If I were the head coach I would tell you to look for another team for your daughter.
 
Feb 15, 2017
391
43
But you knew this before you came back from your failed attempt to join another team. If I were the head coach I would tell you to look for another team for your daughter.

Lower the boom

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Last edited:

Axe

Jul 7, 2011
459
18
Atlanta
You are not an assistant coach if the HC isn't willing to listen to your input and at a minimum have a discussion about practice. Not sure what that makes you, maybe a guy who carries stuff to the field?
 
Dec 5, 2017
514
63
But you knew this before you came back from your failed attempt to join another team. If I were the head coach I would tell you to look for another team for your daughter.

Really, rather than discuss some issues you would tell me to leave. Good for you, I was asking for thoughts on how to tactfully approach him. I would like to see these girls succeed now that we are back on the team, not go to tournaments and get their butts kicked. We went through that last season and it wasn't fun. Yes I did know that some of the girls needed a lot of work, we came back to this team aware of what we were getting in to. So are suggesting I just standby and watch while girls waste their time standing around for 3 hours a week instead of receiving needed instruction?
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
When the players expectation equal the teams expectations life is good in travel ball. Clearly your expectations aren't being met so I would move on.

Yes, as the coach if you presented all of the information that you provided in this thread to me I would suggest you move on.
 

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